


The Mosaic Letter

by Highkingeliot



Category: The Magicians (TV), The Magicians - Lev Grossman
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 16:05:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14312301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Highkingeliot/pseuds/Highkingeliot
Summary: A letter from Eliot to Quentin recounting his memories of the mosaic.





	The Mosaic Letter

There’s tiles. Lots of them. 

We have been working on this for years. Day after day we come up with new designs and ideas and ways to lay the tiles. We have made practical books of all the various designs. Quentin and I working day in and day out. We take breaks for food and occasional enjoyment of each other’s company. 

That’s usually my favorite times. 

I worry for him. We came here together for this quest and now I fear I have failed him. I knew I would be the one to fuck this up. 

We got to know so much about each other. Who knew his favorite animal was an otter? I can see it though. 

On our one year anniversary of this whole thing, we kissed. He initiated it. One of the few times I felt my heart race that fast. I kissed him back. Not much work got done that night. Well, not on the mosaic anyway. Time moved on and eventually he found a girl. 

He loved her so I stepped aside. I did all I could for them. I became the second father figure to little Theodore Rupert Coldwater. We watched him grow up. 

One unfortunate night Quentin came out of the room to tell me his wife had lost her fight with her illness. I helped him dig the hole by the tree she now rests beneath. 

I held him while he cried. I helped him try to move on and we did as we usually did, we worked on the mosaic. 

Finding the beauty of all life is not an easy task and when you have a shit load of tiles in a limited array of colors, it’s even harder. 

Ted is older now. He has found a family of his own. A pretty girl and a small dog. Quentin is so proud of his son. As am I. I am proud of them both. 

Quentin has learned to live with the loss of his late wife and we have found our bond again. 

My only fear is I am getting older. My eyesight isn’t what it was. Quentin was kind enough to help me seek out a glass crafter to help me see. 

As I write this Quentin sleeps. 

Every waking moment I spend with him. When he sleeps I record this so when I am gone he will understand. 

He has taught me a lot about myself. He has shown me love. True love. He expects nothing in return and he does all he can for me. I, in return, do the same for him. 

From time to time Ted comes and visits us. Quentin has started calling him Rupert as Ted was his father’s name. As we are older, we have come to terms that the friends and family we knew are gone. 

We know we are in a past line of time but we still remember them. Sadly as time progresses we may not see them again. 

I have shared many nights with Quentin. He showed me I am nothing like my father, for that I am grateful. I never want to be that cruel. I hope when I am gone that Quentin will remember how much I loved him. 

We are a family. 

So many nights we spent together. We’ve loved. I’ll spare you the details but Quentin can be quite wild. Also, I have a thing for his long hair. He says he grew it out cause he likes how it looks but I know he grows it out cause I love it too. 

Every time I cut his hair, he always tells me ‘don’t take too much off, I like it long’, so do I. I always smile and make sure he’s happy. 

I know we are getting older. I am more frail now than I have been. My hands ache from placing the tiles and it’s harder for me to draw the designs. I feel weak but I will never tell Quentin that. If I do, he’ll just tell me that he will do the mosaic and I won’t let him do it alone. 

Thankfully though my hands ache and I shake more I can still move about. It’s slower but I’m happy to be with Quentin. 

I sleep when I can between writing these memories and working with Quentin. 

I do worry for him. He already lost his wife. His son, our son, is out on his own now and I don’t know how much longer I have. 

Tomorrow is a new day. We have come up with another design to try. Quentin looked so happy about it. 

I fear I am not well. My mind is getting worse and I forget things. Thankfully I remember Quentin. I love Quentin. 

I am feeling more weak and tired. Before I sleep…One last letter for Q.

“Dear Quentin,

I don’t know how much longer I’ll have. My whole life I have loved you. Spending my life with you has been more than I could have ever dreamed of. 

Because of you, I found a friend, I was a king, we had a family. 

I do hope this mosaic works out. I don’t know how much longer I have. You know how forgetful I have been. 

I am the happiest man alive because I have spent my life with you. 

I am also the saddest because I fear I will not complete this quest with you. Q, I love you. 

I am currently sitting here watching you work on the mosaic and I just think of all the years we have been here, together. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. 

This mosaic was supposed to show us the beauty of all life. I found it, with you. 

I love you Q.

-El”

I am tired. I will sleep now. 

___________________________________________________________________

I found his letter. 

He wrote down everything. The letter to me was the last thing he wrote. He was holding it in his hands when I tried to wake him up. 

El, we didn’t fail. We found the beauty of all life. 

I wrapped you in your favorite quilt, in your finest clothes. I even put your glasses on you. I don’t know how the after life works, but when my grandpa died my mom said he had his glasses on so he could see in heaven. I couldn’t risk it. 

I dug a hole for you next to the mosaic. Partway through I found a single tile. 

I walked over, put it in the center and there it was. The key. 

We did it El. We did it. 

-Q


End file.
